An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, is inflated to help protect an occupant of a vehicle upon the occurrence of a crash. The air bag is stored in the vehicle in a folded condition at a location adjacent to the vehicle occupant compartment. When the vehicle experiences a crash having at least a predetermined threshold level of severity, an inflator emits inflation fluid which is directed to flow into the air bag. The air bag is then inflated from the folded, stored condition to an unfolded, deployed condition extending into the vehicle occupant compartment. The air bag can then engage an occupant of the vehicle to help restrain movement of the occupant under the influence of vehicle crash forces.
A cover structure conceals the air bag from view in the vehicle occupant compartment. The cover structure may comprise a steering wheel cover for a driver's side air bag. The cover structure may alternatively comprise a trim portion of an instrument panel for covering a passenger side air bag. Other cover structures also are known for covering air bags at other locations in a vehicle. Such cover structures typically have a pivotal deployment door which is opened by the air bag as the air bag inflates into the vehicle occupant compartment.
The manner in which the inflating air bag engages a vehicle occupant is determined in part by the location of the occupant relative to the air bag as the air bag emerges from the cover structure. Accordingly, the manner in which the air bag engages the vehicle occupant is determined in part by the location of the occupant relative to the cover structure at the time of the crash.